Submitted by: Karen Shaw, kshaw3@uca.edu on 03/11/2025
UCA Internships and Cooperative Education is proud to announce our 2024-2025 Intern of the Year, Arielis (Ariel) Rodriguez-Gutierrez. Ariel has also been awarded the national Intern of the Year distinction by the Cooperative Education and Internships Association (CEIA) and will be honored at the national conference in Tucson, AZ in April 2025.
Ariel Rodriguez-Gutierrez is a senior Chemistry major, graduating in May 2025. She has distinguished herself through remarkable academic achievement and research innovation. Originally unsure of her potential in STEM, Ariel’s transformative summer internship at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) dramatically reshaped her academic and professional trajectory.
During her internship at UCI’s Center for Closing the Carbon Cycle, Ariel made extraordinary contributions to environmental research. Through her research and testing, she developed a catalytic system to convert carbon dioxide into a valuable chemical feedstock, achieving a breakthrough that is being prepared for publication. This is an exceptional accomplishment for an undergraduate researcher. According to her site supervisor, Ariel’s work demonstrated remarkable scientific acumen, stating “It is a rare accomplishment for an undergraduate student to perform enough quality research to gain authorship on a peer-reviewed publication, let alone as a lead author!”
The internship was a pivotal moment in Ariel’s academic journey. What began as a hesitant opportunity evolved into a profound personal and professional transformation. She discovered her passion for research and teaching, discovering her dream of becoming a university professor who can inspire and support students of color in STEM fields.
Ariel’s achievements extend beyond her research. As a recipient of the Arkansas Talented Optimistic Motivated (ATOM) Scholars program and an undergraduate research student at UCA, she has consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment to her discipline. She has presented four research projects and has applied to graduate school and the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
Her colleagues and professor highlight not only her scientific capabilities, but her innovation, professionalism, and commitment to using her skills to create positive change in her field and community. With her remarkable blend of scientific skill and visionary potential, Arielis Rodriguez-Gutierrez is truly an outstanding emerging scientist and educator.
Ariel was nominated for UCA Intern of the Year by Chemistry professor, Dr. Marsha Massey.
https://uca.edu/career/interns-of-the-year/
